Rahul, Akhilesh born fortunate, hence cannot take pains: Modi

Varanasi: Targeting political rivals Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday termed the two “galua”, which he said in the local dialect meant those born with a silver spoon.

There is fertile land and hard working people but there is no good government

“The (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) and his new-found friend (Rahul Gandhi) are galua. They have got everything in inheritance, they are born with a silver spoon,” Modi said addressing a huge gathering at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith here at the end of his road show.

“These people born in affluence are weak… they can’t take tough decisions because they can’t take pains. Only the one who has come from the grass root can take tough decisions,” he said.

Modi, who began his speech by chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Har Har Mahadev”, cited the surgical strikes and demonetisation to underscore that the government should be capable of taking tough decisions.

He said that normally Samajwadi Party, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party would gnaw at each other, but “ever since demonetisation has been announced they are speaking in one voice”.

Modi said despite Poorvanchal having everything essential for development, it still lagged behind.

“There is fertile land and hard working people but there is no good government,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the central government is ready to provide required funds for development of the region but the state government must be able to properly account for the expenses.

Modi said Uttar Pradesh would become the “number one” state in the country only after Poorvanchal is developed.

He said that electricity is something required by every household in this modern age but the Samajwadi Party government refused to take electricity from the Centre.

Emphasising that he knows how the region is to be developed, Modi said a 3,000-km-long gas pipeline is being laid from Gujarat to Varanasi that would provide cooking gas to every household and help in developing industry.

“I know how ‘Poorvanchal’ is to be developed. It’s clear in my mind,” he said, adding that rail connectivity would be enhanced and the farmers provided water for irrigation.

The Prime Minister also criticised the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party, terming them “two different sides of the same coin”.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed the second leg of his mega road show in this Uttar Pradesh city with large crowds of supporters and BJP workers thronging the streets.

The Prime Minister first flew from the airport to the Police Lines in a special Indian Air Force chopper. A number of local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders greeted Modi at the helipad and presented him bouquets.

He then made his way in a bullet-proof car in a convoy to the Pandeypur area, from where the road show commenced.

The five-km road show began at Pandeypur Square and wound its way through Chaukaghat, Teliabagh, Maldahiya and Patel Chowk to culminate at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.

Thousands of supporters thronged the route along which Modi went. Carrying BJP flags and shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi’, they waved at Modi, who acknowledged their greetings and waved back at them.

Modi was later scheduled to go to Diesel Locomotive Works, which is popularly called DLW, late evening where he is to engage in a discussion with select 5,000 intellectuals of the city. He will spend the night in Varanasi and on Monday, go to Gadwa Ghat Ashram and Ramnagar to visit the house of late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Before returning to Delhi on Monday, Prime minister will address a rally in Rohaniya in the evening.

Polling in Varanasi, which is also Modi’s parliamentary constituency, and some surrounding districts will be held in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on March 8.